Week 6: Neurobiology Flashcards
The Brain, Psychophysiological Methods in Neuroscience, The Nervous System
Metabolites
A substance necessary for a living organism to maintain life (oxygen, glucose)
The Nervous System
complex biological organ; enables many animals including humans to function in a coordinated fashion; evolved over time
Homo Habilis
A human ancestor, handy man, that lived two million years ago
Used crude stone tools
Homo Sapiens
Modern man, the only surviving form of the genus Homo
Uses modern tools
Ectoderm
Outermost layer of a developing fetus
Neural Induction
A process that causes the formation of the neural tube
Rostrocaudal
A front-back plane used to identify anatomical structures in the body and the brain
Spina Bifida
Developmental disease of the spinal cord, where the neural tube does not close caudally; part of spinal cord is exposed cuz it didn’t close properly at the end
Forebrain
Part of the nervous system that contains teh cerebral hemispheres, thalamus, and hypothalamus
Neuroblasts
Brain progenitor cells that asymmetrically divide into other neuroblasts or nerve cells
baby nerve cells
Neuroepithelium
The lining of the neural tube
Neural Crest
group of special cells that form at top of neural tube (which becomes brain and spinal cord) during early development
A set of primordial neurons that migrate outside the neural tube and give rise to sensory and autonomic neurons in the peripheral nervous system
Autonomic Nervous Systems
controls automatic functions in body (heart rate, digestion) by sending signals to glands and smoothing muscles
A part of the peripheral nervous system that connects to glands and smooth muscles; consists of sympathetic and parasmpathetic divisions
Somatic Nervous System
A part of the peripheral nervous system that uses cranial and spinal nerves in voluntary actions, like moving a muscle
Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
A division of the autonomic nervous system that is slower than its counterpart - that is, the sympathetic nervous system - and works in opposition to it; generally engaged in “rest and digest” functions
helps body relax and recover after stress/activity
Sympathetic Nervous System
A division of the autonomic nervous system that is faster than its counterpart that is the parasympathetic nervous system and works in opposition to it; generally engaged in “fight or flight” functions
The Peripheral Nervous System
helps brain and spinal cord connect/communicate w rest of body; exists outside the brain
SOMATIC - CRANIAL nerves/SPINAL nerves (voluntary actions)
AUTONOMIC - SYMPATHETIC nervous system/PARASYMPATHETIC nervous system (involuntary actions)
Central Nervous System
Cerebellum
Consists of left and right hemispheres that sit at the top of the nervous system and engages in a variety of higher-order functions
A nervous system structure behind and below the cerebrum; controls motor movement coordination, balance, equilibrium, and muscle tone
Sulcus
The crevices or fissures formed by convolutions in the brain - when cerebellum is crumpled into skull it forms furros called sulci
(plural form, Sulci)
Gyrus
A bulge that is raised between or among fissures of the convoluted brain - bulges between sulci
(Plural form, Gyri)
Central Sulcus
The major fissure that divides the frontal and the parietal lobes
Lateral Sulcus
The major fissure that delineates the temporal lobe below the frontal and the parietal lobes
Temporal Lobe
An area of the cerebrum that lies below the lateral sulcus; contains auditory and olfactory (smell) projection regions
Wernicke’s area (understanding language); amygdala (emotions); memory (hippocampus)